Directors OK sale of gear

Julianne Cahill

Education/religion editor

jcahill@lewistownsentinel.com

MIFFLINTOWN — Midd-West School District will have the option to purchase football equipment from Juniata County School District when East Juniata’s football program ends this fall.

The Juniata County School District Board of Directors voted Thursday to approve the sale of East Juniata High School’s football equipment to Midd-West for $2,000. This could come in handy after the dissolution of the districts’ combined football program at the end of the 2017-2018 season.

The Juniata County directors caused a stir in February when they added a line item to their agenda regarding the cooperative agreement between East Juniata and Midd-West high schools. The entry under athletics and activities asked the board to choose between two options: to renew the agreement for another two years, or to end it.

The co-op has been in effect since 2001 at East Juniata, when a Middleburg student wanted to play football. The original agreement gave both Middleburg and West Snyder students the opportunity to play football for the first time. The co-op continued after the Snyder County school district merged its two high schools in 2004.

Over time, participation by East Juniata students dropped dramatically. In each of the past few years, Midd-West students comprised roughly 80 percent of the roster.

Just days after conversation began to end the combined program, Juniata and Midd-West reached compromise — the co-op will be discontinued after the 2017-18 season. Beginning with the 2018-19 school year, East Juniata players will co-op with Juniata High School, pending PIAA approval.

Midd-West has yet to announce if it will begin its own team. The district already has infrastructure — the field at West Snyder Elementary School is the appropriate size for football, has uprights, a practically new scoreboard and lights installed, and there are locker room facilities in the school, adjacent to the stadium. Now, the administration will have the cost-saving option to purchase East Juniata’s equipment, too.